It makes perfect sense that Dave Shuten, one of today’s top car builders/restorers, hails from Detroit “Motor City,” Michigan. The local presence and influence of the “Big Three” automakers couldn’t help but infiltrate his brain by osmosis. The 1970s were Shutens formative years during which he was introduced to the automotive world through his dads daily duties as an auto mechanic. He is a stellar example of a true “glue sniffer” kid who graduated from the school of “plastic model kit building” with a major in “customizing.” Once in his teens he quickly progressed from model builds to completing full size customized cars. He thrived on creating/building cars and as his skill set increased his memories of 1970s show rods slowly slipped back into his brain. Thats when he began to realize how strong the ideas and visions of creative minds like Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, Robert Williams, Dan Woods and others had influenced him. By the early 1990s a young twenty something Shuten was working for GM as a full time journeyman die maker. This experience strengthened and fine tuned his skill set. His accuracy and attention to detail was refined which is key for a first-rate restoration.
Some personal milestones were his re-creation of Ed “Big Daddy” Roths nonexistent “Mysterion,” scratch built Roth inspired “Astrosled” and the restoration of Dan Woods’ “Ice Truck.” These builds earned him recognition as a builder to be reckoned with. Much critical acclaim followed and all three of these builds landed on the cover of Rod & Custom Magazine.
In 2007 when his friend Michael Lightbourn made, “the greatest barn find ever,” the planets aligned for Shuten. Galpin Motors’ President Beau Boeckman gained ownership of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s long lost creation, “Orbitron,” and hired Shuten to lead the entire restoration process. He temporarily left Michigan and landed at Galpin Auto Sports (GAS) in Van Nuys, California. Shuten assembled the most appropriate and expert restoration team to properly restore “Orbitron” (including everyone that was still alive from the original 1960s build). This cast of historical “Kustom Kulture” heavy weights included “Orbitron” designer Ed “Newt” Newton, custom painters Larry Watson and Bill Carter along with upholster Joe Perez. Boeckman convinced Shuten to stay on at Galpin Auto Sports full-time. Shuten packed up his enormous collection of NOS parts, memorabilia, machines, cars, etc. and made a permanent move to California.
His passion is finding and saving significant hot rods & customs, researching and finding all the rare hard to find parts, then doing the complete restoration. In 2017 Shuten founded a new division of Galpin Auto Sports (GAS) called Galpin Speed Shop which specializes in period perfect hot rods, customs and restorations of historically significant cars.
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Awards-
• House Of Kolor - Prestigious Painter Award (Two Time Recipient)
• National Rod & Custom Car Hall Of Fame Inductee
